A variety of treatment methods for removing contaminants from water involve adsorption on activated carbon, stripping with air, sterilization by chlorination or ozonization. All of these methods have some limitations for the removal of contaminant such as MTBE. Removal of adsorbed contaminant from the activated carbon requires incineration as well as typical drawbacks associated with the treatment of liquid streams on activated carbon beds. Photodegradation of contaminants by the action of solar and UV light is becoming more popular technique for water purification. Usually this technique is used in presence of metal oxide catalysts of the semiconductor type.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,341,863 to Vandenbergh describes a method of degradation of MTBE and tertiary-butyl alcohol (TBA) using a mixture bacteria (Pseudomonas putida) in contaminated water and/or soil. Bioremediation processes using such type of bacteria are limited by oxygen supply to the contaminated water or soil also these processes require precise control of environment and process conditions such as pH, temperature, and abundant supply of nutrients. However, there is no definite method to control MTBE's entry into the environment and also to degrade the already present MTBE contamination in the environment.